Julia Elihu and Ava Lalezarzadeh’s In the Garden of Tulips has qualified to be considered for the 2025 Oscars.

Sixteen-year-old Caroline (Ava Lalezarzadeh) cuts a forlorn figure next to her father (Iman Nazemzadeh) as they travel across the Iranian countryside of Birjand. There’s mystery surrounding the purpose of the journey, but there’s palpable tension in the air, and as they get closer to their destination, the gravity of the situation is slowly revealed.

Julia Elihu and Ava Lalezarzadeh’s magnificent IN THE GARDEN OF TULIPS shares a heartfelt and suspense-filled story of a father and daughter against the backdrop of the Iran-Iraq war, which mirrors the real-life journey that Lalezarzadeh’s mother, and so many others, took decades earlier.

It’s a beautiful short that demonstrates the ripple effect of a war that can change the course of so many civilians’ lives. Elihu unfolds the story elegantly, never giving away too much, and allowing details of the travelling pair to reveal itself naturally. 

The heart of the film is the convincing father-daughter relationship that is magnificently portrayed by its leads. A delightful scene in which they sing and eat green plums brings a lovely layer of humanity to the story, and it makes what follows all the more devastating.

Whether a feature or short, IN THE GARDEN OF TULIPS is one of the best pictures I’ve seen this year, bolstered by terrific performances from Lalezarzadeh and Nazemzadeh. I have strong hopes for the film when the Oscars arrive.